bottini



March 10, 1964 5, -rm 3,124,359

DICE AGITATING AND VIEWING GAME BOX Filed Aug. 3, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet lMarch 10, 1964- s, T- 1 3,124,359-

DIICE AGITATING AND VIEWING GAME BOX Filed Aug. 3, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2United States Patent 3,124,359 DICE AGTTATING AND VIEWING GAME BOXRaymond S. Buttini, 511 W. 111th St, Chicago, Ill. Filed Aug. 3, 1%0,Ser. No. 47,275 7 Claims. (til. 273145) This invention relates broadlyto games or amusement devices and more particularly to a dice gamedevice or box for the playing of poker dice, peek or peek-a-boo dice,liars dice, or the like.

The game device of this invention facilitates, and provides an improvedtable top type unit for, the playing of such dice games involvingpoker-type blufiing as to the value of a roll or shake made by theplayer then holding the dice box.

According to the broader aspects of this invention, the improved dicebox provides a portable and upright container for use on a table top orthe like having a suliiciently wide base and stability to preventaccidental overturning or tilting thereof to disturb the dice after theyhave once been rolled and having a sufiicient weight to aid in thisstability. This box is, however, sufiiciently compact and light to bereadily slid along a top of the table or other supporting surface fromplayer to player. It may be readily raised if such type of play isdesired.

The mechanized box device of this invention includes handle or levermeans to shake or roll the concealed dice therein, such handle extendingfrom the side of the upright box and preferably being located adjacentits bottom or lower end. This box or enclosure conceals a dicesupporting and movable bottom support plate which is actuated by theexternal handle.

The dice on this movable bottom are selectively illuminated only by thedice holding player by a light source in the box under the control of anexternal switch. This switch is preferably located on a side of said boxaway from the player holding the box and adjacent to its top to thus bereadily visible to all players. This tends to prevent the non-authorizeduse thereof by any player. The upper end of this upright container isclosed by a preferably sloped top wall or closure to prevent any viewingof the dice therein except through a special viewing means comprising aneyepiece directed at the dice and requiring that the user indicate itsuse to the other players by leaning over and applying his eye closely tothe eyepiece. This, in combination with the visible motion of actuatingthe light controlling switch, effectively prevents any player fromtaking an unauthorized look or peek at the dice after they have beenrolled or shaken.

Preferably this eyepiece includes magnifying lens means to make smallsize dice look much larger or appear to be of bar dice size. Thispermits a smaller and more compact size for the entire unit.

In the use of the game box of this invention, it will be understood thatnumerous types and variations of bluffing or poker type dice games maybe played by this improved and mechanized game device. However, the wellknown poker dice or liars dice game, preferably using five dice to givepoker type hands, and with the roll or throw of the dice to be concealedfrom the other player or players except upon a call is disclosed hereinas a preferred example of a specific game to be played by the use ofthis invention.

In using the mechanized game box of this invention to play such game,the player then holding the dice rolls or shakes the dice by one or morerapid or abrupt depressions 0r movements of the dice actuating andprojecting handle lever. He then has to make two different motionsreadily visible to all other players in order to see the dice. For thispurpose he manually actuates the light button or control switch (whichis exposed to the view of the other "ice players) and simultaneouslyleans over to apply his eye close to the eye piece on the top wall ofthe dice box. This top wall or closure is preferably sloped tofacilitate the proper tilting of the eye piece for its convenient use.The height of the box also facilitates its use by reducing the amountthat the player has to lean over or lower his head to view the dice. v

After this the dice holding player then announces a hand or reading forthe dice. The other player can either believe him and accept hisannounced hand or call his bluff or call him a liar in which event thecalling player is entitled to see the dice. For this purpose, the box isslid over to him and the calling player also leans over to view the dicethrough the eye piece and illuminates them by pressing the light switch.It is preferred that the box he slid along the table or bar top from thedice rolling player to the calling player to prevent any tumbling of thedice or disturbing of their values. If the first player has correctlycalled the reading of the dice, then the second player loses. If thesecond player catches the first player in a lie, the first player loses.Since the rules of such games and their variations are well known, theyWill not be further explained here. It will be understood that there maybe more than two players.

A general object of this invention is to provide an improved blufiingtype dice game box and to provide a portable, table top type, and diceconcealing container to facilitate the playing of games such as poker orliars dice or the like.

Another and more specific object hereof is the provision of a mechanizedbox for the playing of blufiing type, dice games to prevent improperpeeking or accidental viewing of the rolled dice by requiring that aplayer wishing to see the dice must make two readily visible andcooperating motions in order to be able to see the dice.

A further and more detailed object hereof is the provision of amechanized, bluffing type, dice game container preventing viewing of thedice except upon the manual actuation of a visible means to illuminatethe otherwise concealed dice in the container and the leaning forward ofthe viewing player to apply his eye to, or relatively close to, aspecial viewing unit or eyepiece.

A further and more detailed object of this invention resides inproviding in such a game box of improved and simplified means to agitateor roll the dice without the necessity of lifting the box from itssupporting surface.

Another and detailed object hereof is the provision in such a dice gamebox of an improved viewing means to be used only by the dice rolling,box holder or the bluff calling, box holder and requiring that heindicate his use by leaning over or else by lifting the box.

A further and detailed object hereof is the provision in such a dicegame box of an improved viewing unit for the dice including an eye piecewith magnifying lens means to increase the apparent size of the dice.

Other and more specific objects, features and advantages of thisinvention will become apparent from the following more detaileddescription of an exemplary embodiment hereof, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings in which like reference characters are used todesignate like parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the dicegame box of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on the lines II-II of FIGURE 1 withthe eyepiece and the dice plate and lever being shown in full;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on the lines III III of FIGURE 1with the flashlight being shown in full and with a broken away portionto show its interior; and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the dice box with the top closure orcover removed.

The dice game box of this invention is designated as a whole by areference numeral 1. In this specific and 6X- emplary form of theupright table or bar top supported device of the present invention, theupright, stable, and relatively heavy or tilt proof box is shown asbeing of a preferably elongated, rectangular outer cross-section havingthe outer front and back provided by substantially ver tical side walls3 and 4 and the other two outer sides 5 and 6. A preferably sloped andfiat top closure 7 is suitably and removably secured to the tops of theside walls as by removable nails or pins 10 and 11. The outer sides arepreferably permanently secured together as by gluing, nails, or thelike.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the otherwise open bottom of thisupright box is braced and closed as by a suitable horizontal closure 12.As shown, wall 12 preferably has its lower surface substantially flushwith the lower ends of the box side walls and fills the spacetherebetween. It is suitably secured to the side walls as by gluing,nailing, or the like. If desired, this bottom 12 may carry suitblesupports or leg forming means such as the two front and rear supports 17and 18 which are suitably secured in place as by gluing, nailing, or thelike.

Preferably, but not necessarily, there are flat inner liner walls 13 and14 which abut against the insides of the front and rear walls 3 and 4,extend throughout their heights and widths, and are suitably securedthereto.

While it will be understood by those skilled in this art that this boxas a whole may be made in various forms, fabricated by various known,conventional, or suitable means and made of suitable materials, yet inmy eX- emplary embodiment, the sides, top, bottom and inner liners (orall of the previously described parts) are preferably made of flatpieces of wood or plywood and joined by conventional wood fasteningmeans.

While it is not essential under the broader or all aspects of thisinvention, yet I prefer to enclose the dice themselves in aconventionally shaped dice cup member 15 which is in the form of anupright tube or cylinder resting on the upper surface of the bottom 12and tightly engaged between the two sides 3 and 4- and the front andagainst the inner liner 13. This cylinder may be suitably secured to thebottom 12 as well as to the sides and inner liner 13. As shown, thiscylinder extends from the bottom 12 to just below, or substantiallyflush with, the top of the inner liner sheet 13 and the front side 3.

In or adjacent to the bottom of the upright dice game box of thisinvention, there is a movably mounted generally horizontally extending,dice supporting plate carrying thereon a plurality of (preferably 5)dice 21. In this exemplary embodiment, this dice plate 20 is in the formof a circular plate or disc positioned in the lower end of cylinder 15having a loose fit therein to provide for the tilting or swinging ofplate 20 as hereinafter described. As shown, plate 20 rests on thebottom 12 when it is in its inoperative or non-actuated position. Theupper surface 20 is covered and cushioned as by a suitably cemented onlayer of felt 2%. There is a similar second cushion layer of felt 2% onthe bottom of plate 20. The bottom layer 20b may, if desired, be on thebottom 12 in the bottom of cup 15.

An external handle or actuator is provided to move or swing this plate20 to tumble or roll the dice in their cup 15. Preferably this dicetumbling handle is provided by the straight lever arm 22 which isconnected at its inner end to plate 20 and has its outer end extendingout through the lower end of the users righthand side, side plate 4adjacent to its bottom or lower end and through the loose fit providing,hole 23 in cup 15 and through the aligned and similarly loose fittinghole 24 in side 4, as shown.

Preferably lever 22 is provided by the long wood screw 25 having thescrew and handle providing sleeve or cylinder 26 at its outer end.Sleeve 26 may he of wood or suitable material as will be understood bythose skilled in this art. It will be apparent that the outer and loweredge of hole 24 in the side 4 provides a fulcrum or pivot 25a for thishandle lever 22 so that when the player pushes downwardly sharply orabruptly its outer end, the dice supporting plate 20 (which forms a partor extension of the lever 22) is rapidly swung or snapped up to tumbleor agitate the dice. In normal use several sharp downward pushes on thehandle forming sleeve 26 will give an adequate and satisfactory tumblingof the dice.

It is to be noted that lever 22 and its handle forming sleeve end 26 areconveniently positioned for the righthanded use of the normal user. Itis closely spaced above the bottom of the box yet with adequateclearance above the box supporting surface so that the users hand can beresting on the supporting surface. It will also be noted that such leveris positioned substantially centrally of the side of the box for itsconvenient use and actuation.

The top wall '7 is preferably sloped as shown to tilt the eyepiece forthe convenience of the viewing player.

The restricted vision viewing means comprises the eyepiece 30 which isdirected down at the dice 21 and its focus requires that the user placehis eye quite close to the top of the eyepiece to see the dice. It willbe understood that binocular type, or two such eye pieces, may beprovided, if desired, under the teachings of this invention.

In the specific and exemplary embodiment hereof, this eyepiece 30comprises a lower cylinder 31, suitably secured as by cementing in thehole 32, extending transversely through the tilted top wall 7 andpointed at the dice supported on the plate 20 in the bottom of cup 15.Plastic tube 31 has suitably secured thereto an upper eyepiece portion35 conventionally shaped as shown and securing a magnifying lens unit 34between its lower and upper portions. It will be understood that anyother suitable magnifying eyepiece or viewing unit for this purpose maybe employed under the teachings of this inventron.

It will thus be apparent that the player using this eyepiece has toplace his eye quite close to it in order to see the dice. This requiresthat he lean over or lower his head if the dice box is left on itssupporting surface, as is normally required. Alternatively, such playerwould have to lift the box to his eyes. In either case, he has advisedthe other player or players that he has looked at the dice.

The dice game of this invention also includes a second means requiring areadily observable motion by any player seeking to view the dice to thusco-operate to help prevent any unauthorized peeking or any inadvertentviewing of the dice. This second means forms a part of a selectivelyon-olf light or illumination unit for the concealed dice. For thispurpose, there is provided the light unit designated as a whole by 36and having at its inner end, light bulb 37 positioned to direct itslight on the dice.

Preferably, as shown in the exemplary embodiment hereof, this unit 36 isa conventional, one cell pen size diameter flashlight whose casing 38has a light controlling, switch plunger 38 at its rear end, as shown.This flashlight unit 36 is suitably securely and removably mounted inthe opening or notch 40 through the upper end of the cylinder 15,through the closely fitting opening 41 in liner 14, and through thealigned and tightly fitting opening 42 in rear wall 4. The flashlightmay be simply frictionally secured or, if desired, additionally clampedin position by the adjustable and releasable wood screw 43 having Washer44 under its head and extending through wall 4 or 14 to engage the case38.

This positions the switch plunger 39 for convenient, but readilyobservable, manual actuation by the authorized player. This position, onthe top and back of the box towards the non-using player, effectivelyprevents any unobserved and hence any unauthorized use of this lightswitch for the purpose of seeing the dice. In this connection it is alsoto be noted that the light switch must be actuated simultaneously withthe bending over by the viewer to bring his eye close to the eyepiece inorder to see the dice, which also advises his opponent that he islooking at the dice.

As pointed out above, the dice game device of this invention may be usedfor the playing of various types of dice games, particularly thoseinvolving blufiing, as well as the preferred poker or liars dice orpeek-a-boo dice games as indicated above.

It is to be understood that while the several features of my inventionhave been illustrated and described in this exemplary embodiment asbeing used in connection with specific structure, including therectangular external box and other specific constructional arrangements,yet these features may be used to advantage in other types orarrangements of dice game devices and various other modifications andvariations of this invention may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the novel concepts as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A game device for the playing of blufiing type dice games comprising,in combination;

an upright box having a base to support it on a surface and lower meanstherein to carry dice to be tumbled therein by a player and at least twocooperating means requiring concurrent and readily observable use by aplayer to permit his viewing of the dice while said box is supported ona surface such as a table top,

said means including a first such cooperating means including diceconcealing and illumination preventing, substantially opaque sides andtop for said box together with a dice viewing eyepiece means adjacentthe top of said box, directed down at the dice and requiring that theusing player make a readily observable movement of his head to bring hiseye close to said eyepiece in order to see the dice to thus clearlyadvise his opponents of his dice viewing and second such cooperatingmeans including dice illuminating means having a manual control means toselectively illuminate the otherwise non-visible dice in said supportedbox only while said manual control means is held by a players hand,

said manual control means being so positioned on the outside of said boxthat the using players hand on said manual control means is readilyobservable by his opponents to thus again clearly advise them of hisdice viewing concurrently and in cooperation with said first suchcooperating means to thereby effectively prevent unauthorized viewing ofthe dice in the playing of bluffing type dice games.

2. A game device for the playing of blufiing type dice games comprising,in combination;

a portable but normally stationary, upright, table top type box having abase to support it free of human hands on a surface such as a table topduring the normal playing of such games,

a lower movable dice carrying member therein,

dice on said lower member,

means to always advise opposing players of any moving of said dice byone player including dice tumbling means comprising a manuallyactuatable handle means to move said movable member while said box is sosupported,

said handle means being so positioned on said box that its use isreadily observable by the players,

and at least two separate but inter-cooperating means requiring theirconcurrent and readily observable use by a player in order to permit hisviewing of the dice after they have been tumbled and while said box isso supported, said inter-cooperating means including a first suchinter-cooperating means includcluding dive concealing and illuminationpreventing, substantially opaque walls and top for said box togetherwith a restricted vision and lens type eyepiece means in the top of saidbox, directed down at said dice and requiring that the using player makea readily observable movement of his head to bring his eye close to saideyepiece means in order to see the dice to thus clearly advise hisopponent of his dice viewing and second such inter-cooperating meansincluding a dice illuminating electric light in said box and having aswitch means normally resiliently biased to its off condition so thatthat light is on only while said switch means is manually held on, saidswitch means being so positioned on the outside of said box that its useby a player is readily observable by his opponents to thus clearly againadvise them of his dice viewing concurrently with the similar suchadvice by said first such inter-cooperating means to thereby effectivelyprevent unauthorized viewing of the dice in the playing of bluffing typedice games. 3. A game device for the playing of blufling type dice gamescomprising, in combination;

a portable but normally stationary, upright, table top type box having abase to support it free of human hands on a surface such as a table topduring the normal playing of such games, a movable dice carrying andtumbling plate in said box adjacent its bottom, dice on said plate,means to always advise opposing players of any moving of said dice byone player including dice tumbling means comprising a manuallyactuatable handle forming a lever rigidly connected at its inner end tothe underside of said plate and extending out through an opening througha lower portion of an upright side wall of said box to be readilygrasped and manually actuated by a player to tumble said dice while saidbox is so supported, said handle forming lever being positioned so thatits use is readily observable by the players to advise them of moving ofthe dice, a side wall of said box providing a fulcrum for said leveradjacent said opening, and means whose readily observable use isrequired by a player in order to permit his viewing of the dive afterthey have been tumbled and while said box is so supported, said meansincluding substantially opaque box side walls and top to prevent normalviewing of said dice, means to illuminate said otherwise non-visibledice in said closed opaque box without permitting viewing of said dice,and means to permit viewing of said dice only during at least onereadily observable action by the viewing player including eyepiece meansadjacent said top wall and directed down at said illuminated dice, saideyepiece means requiring that the viewer observably move his eye closeto said eyepiece means to thus advise his opponent of his viewing bythis action to thereby effectively prevent unauthorized viewing of thedice in the playing of blufling type dice games. 4. A game device forthe playing of blufiing type dice games, comprising, in combination;

an upright dice enclosing and concealing container having a base tosupport it on a surface such as a table top at least during dice viewingafter dice tumbling and having sides and a top,

dice in said container,

means to manually tumble said dice,

and means to permit only authorized and readily observable viewing ofsaid dice and to advise opposing players of any such viewing,

said means including substantially opaque said sides and top and onlyone opening means permitting vision into said otherwise closed andopaque container,

said opening means comprising an eyepiece directed down at said dice andincluding a lens requiring that the user observably move to place hiseye close to said eyepiece in order to see said dice to thus advise hisopponents of his dice viewing,

and separate means to illuminate said dice without permitting viewingthereof except through said opening means.

5. The game device of claim 4 in which said eyepiece comprises amagnifying type lens means to enlarge the apparent size of said dice topermit the use of smaller dice in said device and a smaller and morecompact device.

said lens means requiring the viewer to move his head to position atleast one of his eyes close to said eyepiece in order to effectivelyview said dice.

6. A game device for the playing of blutfing type dice games comprising,in combination;

a dice enclosing and concealing container having a sides and a base tobe supported on a surface such as a table top during the normal tumblingas well as the viewing of the dice in said container in the normalplaying of a blufiing type dice game,

a lower movable dice carrying plate therein,

dice on said plate,

means to always advise opposing players of any moving of said dice byone player comprising a manually actuable handle means to manually movesaid plate for the tumbling of said dice while said container is sosupported on a surface,

said handle means being so positioned on said container that its use isreadily observable by the opposing players and a second means to permitviewing of the dice by any player only by at least one readilyobservable motion on the part of the viewing player,

said second means including a side wall and top portion of saidcontainer to prevent normal illumination of said dice together with aviewing region substantially preventing illumination of said dice torender them non-visible and an electric light in said containerpositioned to illuminate said otherwise non-illuminated and non-Visibledice with a normally biased off, manually actuable, controlling switchfor said light located in a readily observable position on the outerupper portion of said container to illuminate said dice to therebyrender them visible for viewing only while the switch is held on by theviewplayer to thereby advise his opponents of this viewing of the dice.

7. A game device for the playing of bluffing type dice games comprising,in combination;

an upright box having a top, side walls and a base to normally alwayssupport said box on a surface such as a table top during dice tumblingand also during dice viewing in the playing of bluffing type dice games,a dice carrying and tumbling plate movably mounted in the lower portionof said box, dice on said plate, means to always advise opposing playersof any moving of said dice by one player including dice tumbling meanscomprising a manually actuable handle connected to move said movableplate while said box is so supported on a surface, said handle being sopositioned on said box that its use is readily observable by the playersand at least two separate but inter-cooperating means requiring theirconcurrent and readily observable use by a player in order to permit hisviewing of the dice after they have been so tumbled and while said boxis so supported, said inter-cooperating means including a first suchinter-cooperating means including dice concealing illuminationpreventing, substantially opaque walls and top for said box togetherwith a restricted vision and magnifying lens type eyepiece means in thetop of said box, directed down at said dice and requiring that the usingplayer make a readily observable movement of his head to bring his eyeclose to said eyepiece means in order to see the dice to thus clearlyadvise his opponent of his dice viewing and a second suchinter-cooperating means including a dice illuminating electric lightunit in said box and having switch means normally resiliently biased toits off condition so that said light unit is on only while said switchmeans is manually held on, said switch means being so positioned on theoutside of said box adjacent its top that its use by a player is readilyobservable by his opponents to thus clearly again advise them of hisdice viewing concurrently with the warning advice by said firstinter-cooperating means, said device being completely self-contained andsaid light unit comprising an elongated flashlight unit including abattery extending horizontally into the upper end portion of said boxwith a bulb at its inner end positioned to illuminate said otherwisenon-visible dice and with said switch being positioned at the outer endof said flashlight unit and extending to the outside of said box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS503,403 Brinkman Aug. 15, 1893 2,171,295 Shultz Aug. 29, 1939 2,628,840Laube Feb. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 397,356 France Feb. 20, 1909 774,517France Sept. 24, 1934 613,286 Great Britain Nov. 24, 1948

4. A GAME DEVICE FOR THE PLAYING OF BLUFFING TYPE DICE GAMES,COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION; AN UPRIGHT DICE ENCLOSING AND CONCEALINGCONTAINER HAVING A BASE TO SUPPORT IT ON A SURFACE SUCH AS A TABLE TOPAT LEAST DURING DICE VIEWING AFTER DICE TUMBLING AND HAVING SIDES AND ATOP, DICE IN SAID CONTAINER, MEANS TO MANUALLY TUMBLE SAID DICE, ANDMEANS TO PERMIT ONLY AUTHORIZED AND READILY OBSERVABLE VIEWING OF SAIDDICE AND TO ADVISE OPPOSING PLAYERS OF ANY SUCH VIEWING, SAID MEANSINCLUDING SUBSTANTIALLY OPAQUE SAID SIDES AND TOP AND ONLY ONE OPENINGMEANS PERMITTING VISION INTO SAID OTHERWISE CLOSED AND OPAQUE CONTAINER,SAID OPENING MEANS COMPRISING AN EYEPIECE DIRECTED DOWN AT SAID DICE ANDINCLUDING A LENS REQUIRING THAT THE USER OBSERVABLY MOVE TO PLACE HISEYE CLOSE TO SAID EYEPIECE IN ORDER TO SEE SAID DICE TO THUS ADVISE HISOPPONENTS OF HIS DICE VIEWING, AND SEPARATE MEANS TO ILLUMINATE SAIDDICE WITHOUT PERMITTING VIEWING THEREOF EXCEPT THROUGH SAID OPENINGMEANS.